The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation commends the nomination by President Obama of Francis Collins, M.D., Ph.D., as the new director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

“The CF Foundation is pleased that Dr. Collins, who was pivotal in the discovery of the gene responsible for cystic fibrosis, may lead the NIH during a time when the expanding role of science is being highlighted by President Obama,” said Robert J. Beall, Ph.D., president and CEO of the CF Foundation.

“By leading the world’s premier medical research agency, Dr. Collins will help broaden scientific understanding, which will ultimately further the CF Foundation’s quest for a cure, and will help the numerous other diseases NIH scientists are working to treat.”

In 1989, Collins and a team of Foundation-supported researchers made a giant leap forward when they identified the gene responsible for CF. The discovery propelled the field of CF into an era of therapeutics. Today, there are more than 30 potential drugs in the Foundation’s pipeline, several of which are aimed at addressing the genetic defect in CF.

The Foundation believes that Collins’ record of scientific achievements and his leadership of the National Human Genome Research Institute demonstrate that he is an exceptional candidate for director of the NIH.